The drake North American Wood Duck and 2 drake Mandarins on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

A hobby flying low over Stamford Golf course this afternoon

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 4th of August 2020 05:53:56 PM

My first Chiffchaff of 2020 in Mossley - on Hanover St.

Red Kite on Mossley/Greenfield border at 10:00am. Soaring and being mobbed by corvids

Drake North American Wood Duck at Mossley on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

Un-ringed but it looks heavily pinioned on the right wing and therefore very obviously deliberately introduced onto the canal from a collection!

Saturday 21st December 2019, 12.30pm.

Raven flying over the Tollemache pub, Manchester Road, towards Greenfield.

Steve Suttill wrote:

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Some unusual sightings of redhead Goosanders on the river Tame in Mossley.

One was present on the 1st June which I thought odd and considered the possibility of a local breeding attempt. Presumably the same bird reappeared on the same spot yesterday and this morning there were two redheads! Has anyone else noticed them?

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I had a female on Walkerwood Reservoir on 15th June, but no other sightings since spring, Steve. As weve said before, the valley does look good for breeding, so fingers crossed.

Puddle Cay Pits SBI this morning:

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER - First for me at this endangered site.
Pair of Lapwing nesting in the field above.

David Walsh wrote:

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Steve Suttill wrote:

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But there were another 2 Red-legged Partridges - where have they all come from?

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Stalybridge estates have released them, Steve. Not sure why, because there are none on the moor. They are all around the farmland areas, low down, meaning it would be impossible to shoot them safely.

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Well there was one "singing" just inside the estate fence this morning but, as you say, the vast majority are in the farm fields. The mentality of the game shooting fraternity never ceases to amaze.

Apologies. Some of this should be in the Greenfield thread but it was a long walk which kept crossing the border!

Heronry count at Greenfield ETW was disappointing with only one nest. Compensation provided by a Kingfisher and several Dippers and Grey Wagtails.

The other aim of the day was to look for Ring Ouzels and Wheatears - a complete failure on both species!

Intake Lane had 2 Little Owls, a very smart male Stonechat and 2 Red-legged Partridges as well as ubiquitous Meadow Pipits. Not as many Lapwings as in previous years.

Up Warlow Clough, flushed 2 Snipe, and around the east side of Noonsun Hill. Depressing to see the desolation as a result of last year's fires. So much nesting habitat lost. Didn't hear a Curlew all day. Strange to see another pair of Red-legged Partridges strolling across the blackened wasteland.

Back on Moor Edge Road, Mistle Thrush and Blackbird were the only thrushes to be seen - this time last year it was Fieldfares and Ring Ouzels. Further on there were no Lapwings at all in a field which normally has half a dozen nesting pairs. But there were another 2 Red-legged Partridges - where have they all come from?

A visit to Puddle Clay Pits SBI produced 2 Snipe, 2 Lapwing, Heron and... another pair of Red-legged Partridges!

Walk around the moor edge yesterday, from Micklehurst Cricket Club to the Greenfield border.

2 Red-legged Partridges and 22 Fieldfare near the old quarry. 7 Lapwings in the top field at Hole House Farm.

Date: Fri Dec 28 7:41 PM, 2018

River Tame Permalink Reply Quote   Edit Post River Tame this morning Waggon Road    1x Grey Heron 2x Dippers flying down the river (didnt land, so couldnt get a picture with my new camera!)  Great and blue tits in the backside cover Several jackdaws

Hobby hunting over Puddle Clay Pits SBI this evening - a site first for me.

Sedge Warblers back at Puddle Clay Pits SBI this morning

Nuthatch pair have established territory by Roaches Lock. This species is becoming relatively common round here these days. Can remember when they were as rare as hens' teeth!

Early visit to BBS square (Top Mossley/Hartshead Pike) this morning (my 21st year!):

5 Willow Warblers singing but no Chiffchaffs.
5 Lapwing, still hanging on in here.
3 Skylarks and a couple of Swallows. Not so many Meadow Pipits this year.

Heading home, disappointed not to have found a Wheatear, and a splendid male popped up on a drystone wall.

David Walsh wrote:

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An unsuccessful attempt to twitch Steve Suttill's Ring Ouzels had the consolation of providing my first Swallow of the year, performing aerobatics over Micklehurst Clough.

Hardly my Ring Ouzels, since you told me where they were

Still no Swallows for me

My first Willow Warblers (2) singing at Heron Lane this morning.

More moor edge meanderings - 10.15 - 13.15:

3 Ring Ouzels again, probably the same birds as Sunday in pretty much the same places. The male by the Lapwing field was surrounded by a flock of c30 Fieldfares. The Fieldfares flew off but the Ouzel remained resolutely on its favourite fence-post.

6 pairs of Lapwing in the usual field. One pair, thinking themselves superior presumably, have moved over the border into Greenfield.

Still no Wheatear or Willow Warblers.

Thursday 5th April 2018.

4 Ring Ouzel on the moor below Warlow Pike

Thanks, David, for keeping an eye on my patch during my enforced absence. Hopefully I'm back for the rest of the season.

Saturday 24th March, 7.40 - 8.40am

Moor Edge Road, from Howards Lane, as far as the Oldham border:

14 Lapwings still in their usual field - minor territorial squabbles and low-level display.
8 Starlings and 6 Wood Pigeons also in the field.
2 Red Grouse
15 Pheasants (3 males)
a few Meadow Pipits
Chaffinch, Blackbird and Dunnock (all singing)
but no raptors this early in the morning.

2 Buzzards over The Billy Goat this afternoon about 2.45.

Heron Lane early this morning:

60+ Fieldfares heading south through the snow showers.

Heron Lane: 8.00 - 8.45

A rather late Chiffchaff associating with small flock of Blue & Great Tits and a couple of Goldcrests.

A Green Woodpecker on Stamford Golf Course this morning, the first for a few years.